Sepang – Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) delivered a masterclass performance at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2025, storming to victory at the Sepang International Circuit and marking his first-ever MotoGP win outside Spain.
Fresh off securing second place in the MotoGP World Championship during Saturday’s Sprint, the Spaniard capped off a stellar weekend with a commanding race win on Sunday, finishing 2.6 seconds ahead of rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) completed the podium after Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) suffered a late mechanical issue.
A Perfect Ride from Start to Finish
Just as he did in the Sprint, Bagnaia made a lightning start and took the early holeshot. However, it wasn’t long before Marquez found his rhythm — overtaking compatriot Acosta on Turn 4 and then diving up the inside of Bagnaia a lap later to seize the lead.
From there, Marquez never looked back. His pace was relentless, pulling away from the chasing duo as Acosta and Bagnaia engaged in a thrilling battle for second. By Lap 10, Marquez had stretched his advantage to nearly two seconds, while behind him, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Joan Mir fought hard for fourth.
Mid-Race Battles and Late Drama
As the laps unfolded, Mir managed to clear Quartararo and began closing the gap to the podium fight. Meanwhile, Marquez continued to push, clocking a blistering 2:00.546 on Lap 14 — over half a second faster than anyone else on track.
Acosta finally managed to pass Bagnaia at Turn 11, but the Ducati rider soon ran into trouble. With just a few laps remaining, Bagnaia was seen looking down at the rear of his machine before slowing dramatically — a mechanical issue that ended his race and handed Mir a surprise third-place finish.
It was heartbreak for the defending World Champion, but a well-deserved moment of redemption for Honda, with Mir securing his second Sunday podium of the season following a Sprint DNF the day before.
Results – Malaysian Grand Prix 2025
1️⃣ Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) – 40:09.249
2️⃣ Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – +2.676s
3️⃣ Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) – +8.048s
4️⃣ Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) – +8.580s
5️⃣ Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – +11.556s
Further down the order, Fermin Aldeguer crashed out in the closing stages, while Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) impressed with a strong recovery from P19 to P7. Luca Marini, Brad Binder, and Ai Ogura rounded out the top ten.
Championship Picture
With Marquez’s win, his runner-up position in the championship is now mathematically secure. The fight for third overall remains wide open, with Marco Bezzecchi and Bagnaia separated by just five points, while Acosta remains 31 points adrift and still in contention.
The MotoGP paddock now turns its attention to Portugal, where the battle for the final podium spot in the standings will continue.
“This win means a lot — it’s my first outside Spain and a great way to reward the team’s hard work,” said Marquez post-race. “We’ve been consistent all weekend, and today everything came together perfectly.”
